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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Eritrea's president says no fear of unrest after army mutiny

(Feb 12, 2013, (Reuters))--Eritrea's President Isaias Afewerki sought on Monday to calm fears of unrest, and in his first reaction to the storming of the information ministry ago by dissident troops three weeks, blamed "bankrupt enemies" for being behind the attack.

Eritrean soldiers, backed by tanks, took over the ministry on January 21 and obliged the director general of state television to appeal for all political prisoners to be freed. Calm soon returned in the capital, but
Eritrean opposition activists in neighbouring Ethiopia say there is
growing dissent within the army, Africa's second biggest, over economic
hardship.

Isaias said his administration had chosen to remain silent to avoid "serving the ploys of bankrupt enemy quarters". The incident sparked
protests by exiled Eritreans in Europe, who briefly occupied embassies
in

London, Rome and other cities last month to express support for the
mutinous soldiers. "Entertain
no worry at all, as there was, and does not exist, any reason for being
apprehensive," the information ministry website quoted him as saying on
Monday. Isaias did not disclose who was behind the plot, but said details would be provided "at an appropriate time". Read more fromReuters »